PROP ENABLED EXTINGUISHER TRAINING

Train your entire community on the proper use of fire extinguishers using the I.T.S. Xtreme™ Live-Fire Extinguisher Training System. The I.T.S. Xtreme utilizes the same patented flame response technology as the original I.T.S. This technology senses where the trainee aims and sweeps the compressed air and water SmartExtinguisher® and varies the flames automatically in response.

In addition to all of the features of the Intelligent Training System, the I.T.S. Xtreme is also prop-enabled. Using a Rubbish Bin, Stove-top, Paint Locker or Electric Motor Prop, trainees experience the flame behavior of everyday items and learn the proper method to extinguish them.

Class A, B, E or F fires can be selected at four different difficulty levels to further challenge trainees. And because the I.T.S. Xtreme utilizes clean burning propane and compressed air/water training extinguishers, there is no added cost or clean-up that would typically be associated with using dry-chemical or CO2 extinguishers.

HOW IT WORKS

The I.T.S. Xtreme Live-Fire Fire Extinguisher Training System utilizes patented sensor technology to detect how well a trainee uses the BullEx SmartExtinguisher training extinguisher. The I.T.S. Xtreme System can sense if the user is properly aiming and sweeping the nozzle of the extinguisher at the base of the fire.

The four sensors on the I.T.S. Xtreme unit detect the compressed air and water discharged from the SmartExtinguisher. The on-board control system then varies the flames in response.

To successfully extinguish the fire, the trainee must aim and sweep the extinguisher across the base of the fire. If the trainee aims just below, or just above the base, the flames will go down, but will not extinguish. If the trainee only aims at one side of the fire, that side will be extinguished while the other side continues to grow.

When using any of the optional props, the system detects which prop is being used, and alters the flame’s behavior in response to the extinguisher to create a more realistic experience.

Class A – Rubbish Bin PropFlames grow gradually and increase in intensity from the rubbish bin prop. While maintaining a safe distance trainees must aim properly, ensuring the proper application of the SmartExtinguisher to put out the flames.

Class B – Paint Locker PropFlames grow to engulf the shelves and paint cans in this Class B fire prop. Trainees must aim and sweep the SmartExtinguisher across the entire prop, but focus on the lower shelf where the fire is most intense to put out this fire.

Class F – Stove Top PropFlames erupt from the pan, as well as the burner surface, simulating a stove top grease fire. Trainees must maintain a safe distance and apply the SmartExtinguisher to both the pot and burner to successfully extinguish the flames. With no thermal output the ITS Xtreme can safely be placed at kitchen bench height to allow trainees to practice fire blanket application.

Use the handheld controller to select the class of fire to demonstrate (A, B, E, or F) as well as one of four difficulty levels. When props are used, select the specific prop with the controller as well. Once set, the instructor presses and holds the ignition button and then it’s up to the trainee to actually extinguish the flames. The fire goes out when the trainee uses the proper sweeping technique. If the trainee is unsuccessful, the fire can be extinguished by releasing the ignition button.

The flare up button can be used to instantly reignite the flames at any point, to further challenge trainees. The display on the controller shows the status of the system and how long the trainee took to put out the fire, or if the fire has even been extinguished. Safety features include an emergency shut off switch and tilt sensors that automatically shut-off the propane if the system is bumped or set-up improperly.

ACCESSORIES

Class A – Rubbish Bin PropFlames grow gradually and increase in intensity from the rubbish bin prop, as they would in a real Class A fire. While maintaining a safe distance, trainees must aim properly, ensuring the proper application of the SmartExtinguisher to put out the flames.

Class B – Paint Locker PropFlames grow to engulf the shelves and paint cans in this Class B fire prop. Trainees must aim and sweep the SmartExtinguisher across the entire prop, but focus on the lower shelf where the fire is most intense to put out this fire.

Class F – Stove Top PropFlames erupt from the pan as well as the burner surface to recreate a stove top grease fire. Trainees must maintain a safe distance and apply the SmartExtinguisher to both the pot and burner to successfully extinguish the flames.

Regulator Kit
Recharge a Smart Extinguisher from an SCBA tank (2216 or 4500 PSI) with this premium brass, high pressure regulator assembly which includes brass fittings and a high quality coiled air hose

Air Compressor
Industrial or light commercial compressors are available with premium air hose.

Prop transport case
Wheeled industrial grade transport case with custom cutouts to hold all three props and prop adapter plate – Locking latches provide safe and secure storage when not in use

Battery Power PackPower your extinguisher training system with this external battery power pack

RELATED PRODUCTS

Baton Rouge Fire Department Clint Sanchez, Inspector

I would like to thank everyone at BullEx for providing such an innovative product. Recently, the Baton Rouge Fire Department accepted delivery of the I.T.S. Xtreme fire extinguisher training prop and we have hit the ground running. We have trained over 200 people in the proper use of a fire extinguisher in approximately six weeks.

This new technology is leaps and bounds better and more efficient than the old training method of the burn pan and carbon dioxide extinguishers. We are able to take full advantage of the ability to recharge the extinguishers onsite, thereby allowing us to reach more people effectively. This unit is exponentially easier to set up, use and maintain than previous methods.

Please feel free to forward any information on new products developed by your company that will enhance the ability of the Baton Rouge Fire Department to provide these much needed services to our public.

Gates Fire District Joseph Manuse, Fire Prevention Officer

I just wanted to take a few minutes to send you a note on this new BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme Fire Extinguisher Training System we purchased. I have over the past several weeks used it quite a few times and I am very happy with the results. This system in my opinion is very realistic and I believe it adds to the real life situations that my students may be faced with.

I have received very positive feedback from the local companies that I work with and their employees. This system I believe will be a great asset to our organization as it will help me in teaching our students not only how to fight fires but the safety aspect as well.

From a financial standpoint I have already begun to save money as this system will no longer require me to pay to have our extinguishers refilled. We do it right at the firehouse or on location with water from the trucks.

Thank you the great customer service and I look forward to dealing with BullEx in the future.

Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue, located in Silverdale, Washington, first learned about BullEx Digital Safety while observing the U.S. Navy’s Federal Fire Department’s use of a BullEx portable fire extinguisher training system at a naval base Open House. Theresa MacLennan, Public Information and Education Officer for CKFR, was searching for an Earth-friendly fire extinguisher training system for the department’s ongoing fire prevention education programs. “Washington is known as the Evergreen State. Residents across the state are deeply involved in ecological issues and they support initiatives and products that are not detrimental to the environment. The department felt that it was our responsibility to provide “green” alternatives for our fire extinguisher training programs instead of spewing chemicals from CO2 and dry chemical extinguishers into the environment every time we trained a segment of our community.” MacLennan was impressed with the entire BullEx product line, and particularly so with the BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme live-fire extinguisher training system. The I.T.S. Xtreme features propane –fueled flames which interact with a compressed air and water extinguisher. The system does not harm the environment, there is no chemical waste or residue to clean up afterward and it provides a safe yet very realistic fire extinguisher training experience.

Prior to considering the purchase of a BullEx training system, the department’s firefighters used a burn pan and a diesel/gasoline fuel accelerant to provide live-fire training programs. PIO Officer MacLennan used a traffic cone and fire extinguisher when demonstrating fire suppression techniques to the public. As she explained, “I wanted something that was significantly more realistic, that would be safe to use, and that would eliminate the mess associated with traditional extinguishers yet still capture the imagination and engage the public.” The department’s limited fire prevention budget created the need to locate an outside funding source for the purchase of new equipment and they submitted an application for a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant, which they were awarded in 2009. They took delivery of their BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme in June of 2010.

CKFR is one of the largest fire service providers in Kitsap County. Within its boundaries and contracted areas CKFR provides Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response to approximately 115 square miles of land and serves a population of 72,000 citizens. In addition, CKFR is the County’s fastest growing fire agency as a result of a series of mergers, consolidations and contracts for Fire and EMS protection services. They responded to 7,115 fire and emergency calls in 2009. The area is home to more than 20 mobile home parks.

Their grant application focused on the need to provide life-saving fire prevention education to the most vulnerable segment of their population; the residents of the mobile home parks. Officer MacLennan explained, “These are our highest-risk residents in terms of residential fires. The majority fall below the National Poverty Guidelines and most are either senior citizens on a fixed income, or low-income families with children. In 2007 I was on the scene of a mobile home fire and it was a classic case of what not to do in a kitchen fire. The resident walked away from the kitchen while cooking, and when the fire started they threw water on the grease fire, which then spread, and they delayed calling 911, resulting in a total loss of the home. I knew right then that we needed to ramp up our fire prevention education efforts.

The department has delivered their fire prevention message to more than 900 individuals in the four months since they received their I.T.S. Xtreme. They initiated a marketing blitz with a mailed announcement about the new training system sent to 40,000 homes and have plans to distribute information regarding their fire prevention programs twice per year to those same residences. In order to fulfill their reporting obligations to the government for the grant money received, the department collates statistics after every training session with pre and post training testing and according to Officer MacLennan; they are demonstrating an average 25% improvement in test scores in the post-testing stage. MacLennan believes that they were successful in their grant pursuit because they did their research ahead of time and gathered the necessary quantitative data. MacLennan advised “I would absolutely encourage anyone who is applying for federal grant money to devise a plan to document your successes, steps you are going to take to do that, and a method for gathering and reporting those numbers. The government wants to know how that money is going to be spent and who it’s going to benefit and how.

Clifton Springs Fire Department Amanda Spence, 1st Lieutenant

In 2009, based on feedback from the communities that they serve, Clifton Springs Fire Department acknowledged the need to expand their Fire Prevention educational programs. The 50+ member volunteer fire department in Ontario County, NY responds to an average of 300 fire calls per year serving the Village of Clifton Springs along with portions of the Towns of Phelps, Manchester and Hopewell. The village, located between Syracuse and Rochester, is a mixed demographic of both urban and rural settings encompassing numerous farms, schools, hospitals, senior citizen communities, an active industrial area and a growing tourism profile.

For many years the department’s ability to provide live fire extinguisher training to the members of their community was limited to using a burn barrel and gasoline. This method was generally considered unsafe, unfriendly to the environment and inconvenient for both the department and for the trainees. Suitable outdoor space for live burn training was limited and required the trainees to travel to the department to partake of the extinguisher training program. Fire prevention programs in the local elementary and high schools consisted primarily of discussions and handouts about fire safety.

The department recognized that a hands-on fire safety training program would be more effective in long-term memory retention for the trainees. Based on that need, the department researched various training system vendors and ultimately determined that the BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme would provide the widest range of fire prevention programs suitable for their specific needs. 1st Lieutenant Amanda Spence explained ,“We knew we needed to grow our fire prevention program, but we had very limited funding, most of which was allocated to other departmental budget items, so if we wanted to expand our fire prevention activities, we would have had to come up with the money out of our own pockets.”

In 2009, the department submitted an application and was awarded a Fire Prevention and Safety grant to purchase a BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme live-fire extinguisher training system. The prior year’s effort to obtain the same grant was denied because the department sought funding for a “laundry list” of items rather than focusing specifically on one particular purchase. After being denied in 2008, the department tightened the scope of its grant request and was successful in obtaining the necessary funds. Lt. Spence stated, “Our salesperson, Matt Monroe, was a great source of information regarding the grant application process. He was available right from the start to provide product specs and resources for information- gathering that proved helpful in collecting the necessary data for the grant application.” Using NFPA and NVFC statistics to support their narrative, the department provided specific steps in their application that would be followed to quantify the success of their fire prevention programs, including pre- and post-training testing and evaluations.

Clifton Springs Fire Department received their I.T.S. Xtreme in November of 2009. The department opted to upgrade their propane-fueled portable fire extinguisher training system to include a variety of props which resemble a trash can (Class A), a stove top (Class B) and an electric motor (Class C) fire scenario. “We felt that the variety of fire simulator props would appeal to a larger segment of our population, particularly the electric motor for our industrial businesses,” said Lt. Spence.

To date, the department has provided approximately one training session per month since receiving their I.T.S. Xtreme. The most recent group of trainees was a local Boy Scout pack. Lt. Spence explained that although the group was initially hesitant about handling a fire extinguisher and confronting live flames, after instruction, “They had a blast. They were competing with each other and the instructor to see who could put out the fire the fastest. They learned some really important fire safety lessons at the same time, so it was a successful training session all the way around.”

The department has also experienced an unanticipated benefit with the purchase of their BullEx training system. In years past, the department would have to take their fire extinguishers off of their apparatus to provide the necessary training. Now, the department doesn’t have to worry about the expense of recharging their extinguishers after every fire prevention training session or having to take potentially life-saving equipment out of service. Lt. Spence went on to give their BullEx I.T.S. Xtreme a 10 on a 1-10 satisfaction rating scale, “It’s safe, it’s portable, it’s effective, it’s easy to use and it’s saving us time and money. We highly recommend the I.T.S. Xtreme.”